Page 59 of Property of Max
“When you’re ready,” Max adds, close enough that I can feel the heat of him, “we move. You tell us what you want and we follow your lead.”
I take a deep breath, nod, and walk to the front door. I ring once and wait.
Max and Bones stand off to the side. Close, but far enough not to be the first faces he sees.
“Lila,” Chris says when he finally opens the door. “What are you doing here?”
“Where is she?” I ask, cutting to the point.
“Dammit, woman, she’s not here,” he snaps. “I told you earlier I didn’t pick her up.”
“I saw the surveillance video, Chris,” I say. “I saw Bree run up to you, and you walked her out of the building.”
“You saw wrong,” he says, throwing his hands up. “I’ve been home all day.”
Before he can finish, I push past him and rush inside. “Bree!” I call. “Honey, it’s Mama. Are you here?”
“She’s not here,” Chris answers from behind me.
“Then why is her backpack here?” I spin, and my eyes lock on the pink school bag Max is holding up.
“That’s her travel bag,” Chris says. “And who the hell are you?”
His voice is sharp, but Max doesn’t flinch. He steps forward, Bree’s backpack dangling from his fist like evidence.
“The man who buries people who lie to me,” Max says quietly, every syllable cold.
Bones closes the door with a soft click, his bulk blotting out the last of the evening light.
“Now answer her truthfully,” he says. “My patience is thin.”
I press a hand to my chest to keep from screaming. “Chris…don’t play games. Where is my daughter? That is not atravelbag. I dropped her off at school this morning with that bag on her back. Now where…is…she?”
His face twists into indignation, but I catch it…a micro-flicker of fear. He’s lying. He knows more than he’s saying.
Max moves in, crowding him against the wall. “This is your one chance to tell the truth,” he says, voice low and final.
“I don’t know,” Chris insists, sticking to his story. “I’m telling the truth. I have no idea where she is.”
“You’ve known she was missing for four hours,” Bones says, his tone like gravel. “Strange that, as her father, you don’t look the least bit upset.”
“Are you kidding me?” Chris snaps, voice pitching higher. “I’m clearly upset!”
“What you are is a coward,” Max growls. “You’re worried about yourself right now, not your daughter.”
“Mrs. Campton? Is that you?”
The voice makes me turn. My breath catches when I recognize her face. One I haven’t seen in years.
“Heidi,” Chris barks, his tone sharp as a whip. “I told you to stay away. There’s nothing more to clean today. Go back to your quarters.”
“Mrs. Campton?” she repeats, ignoring him.
“Just Lila,” I say quickly. “Have you seen Bree?”
“Heidi!” Chris’s voice cracks like thunder.
She flinches at his tone but doesn’t back down. Her gaze flicks toward him, then steels as she squares her shoulders.
